Effect of Changing Diet on Gastric Ulceration in Exercising Horses and Ponies After Cessation of Omeprazole Treatment.

This research study investigates the impact of diet changes on horses suffering from equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) after cessation of medication with omeprazole. The study concluded that switching to a restricted starch ration diet can help manage this condition in more severe cases.

Methodology

• The study involved 29 pairs of horses, divided into two groups based on the severity of their ESGD: those with grade 2/4 ESGD (EM group), and those with grade ≥3/4 ESGD (ES group).
• All the horses had similar management routines, feeding times, workloads, and diets before the start of the study.
• In each pair, one horse was randomly chosen to change diets postgastroscopy to a specified restricted starch ration diet while the other remained on their original diet.
• All the horses in the ES group were medicated with omeprazole for four weeks at the start of the study.
• Gastroscopies were conducted at the beginning, after four weeks, and after ten weeks, and changes in ESGD grades were noted.

Findings

• For the EM group, changing diets to a restricted starch ration had no additional effect on the disease severity over the period of ten weeks.
• In the ES group that remained on their original diet, there was a significant improvement after medication (after four weeks), but a relapse after medication was stopped. The severity of the disease ten weeks into the study was no different from the beginning, showing no long-term benefit of the medication.
• The ES group that changed their diet showed significant improvement both after medication as well as at the end of the study. Unlike the other ES group, there was no deterioration in condition after medication was stopped, suggesting long-term benefits of dietary change.

Conclusion

• The results indicate that in cases of severe ESGD in horses, changing diets to a restricted starch ration could be a beneficial strategy.
• However, the results are limited by the small number of pairs evaluated in the study, indicating the need for further research into the topic.